4-4-2 is made up of three distinct lines. The back four including two centre-backs and two full-backs. Ahead of them, a midfield four features two players in the middle and one on each side. Then the front two in attack who provide both height and goalscoring threat... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
In the 1950s, Viktor Maslov developed another variation of the 4-2-4, in which the two wingers dropped back alongside the two central midfielders. So originated the 4-4-2, which worked to overload opposition midfields with traditionally fewer numbers... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
In a 4-4-2, the two wide players in the midfield unit attack around the opposition back line to provide crosses for the two centre-forwards, or cut inside and combine with shorter passes. They can also run inside and beyond as one of the two front players rotates out... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
The centre-forwards screen in front of the opposition pivots, and press the back line. As the wide midfielders drop alongside the two central midfielders to form a flat four, this unit aims to maintain a compact distance between the front line and the back four... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
Sir Alex Ferguson favoured a 4-4-2 with wide midfielders who could attack around a defensive line and cross, but also drift into the inside channels to combine with box-to-box midfielders supporting the attack... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
Diego Simeone has favoured a 4-4-2 throughout his tenure at Atlético Madrid. Defensively, he prefers a mid or low block, focusing on compactness between his units (below) and controlling matches through covering key spaces in Atlético’s own half... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
Sean Dyche has utilised a 4-4-2 to defend in mid and low blocks throughout his time in the Premier League, with versatile defenders able to cover a variety of spaces in their half – an approach he shares with Simeone... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Spain used a 4-3-3 structure and built play patiently from the back, despite Germany pressing aggressively from their 4-2-3-1. They moved the ball around the back line to isolate Thomas Müller, before a centre-back stepped out with the ball into midfield... 🧐🧵
Olmo continued to move inside and Asensio dropped deep, in the process pulling Süle out of his position in Germany’s back line. This helped Spain to build out from the back and get around Germany’s increasingly effective high press... 🧐🧵
Traditionally, full-backs are the widest players in a back four, and as a result they attack and defend mostly in the wide areas. However, full-backs who move inside into central spaces are known as ‘inverted full-backs’. This movement adds an extra presence centrally... ↩️🧐
Although Pep Guardiola is the coach most associated with the inverted full-back, Johan Cruyff used them with Barcelona many years before. Then, he often converted the 4-3-3 into a 3-4-3 diamond, with one full-back inverting into central midfield... ↩️🧐
Manchester United were set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, but Fred pushed forward from the double pivot to become a number 8 and give them a stronger attacking presence in central midfield. Bruno Fernandes then adapted his positioning, moving into the left inside channel... 🧐🧵
The hosts eventually pushed both full-backs higher, primarily working around the outside of Tottenham’s wing-backs. United’s wingers then came inside, with the freedom to rotate with Fred and Fernandes, as long as both inside channels were always occupied... 🧐🧵
Barcelona were set up in a 4-3-3, against a Madrid 4-4-2 defensive block. Torres moved inside to support centre-forward Aubameyang. De Jong and Pedri widened to support through the inside channels, with Busquets left as the single pivot ahead of the two centre-backs... 🧐🧵
Busquets dropped into defence to draw one of Madrid’s central midfielders up, and Pedri drifted wider to drag the other out. This often left De Jong as the free man to receive in the inside channel when Barcelona’s back line could access him... 🧐🧵
How Diego @Simeone’s #AtleticoMadrid knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League through attacking in a 3-5-2 and left-sided counter-attacks... 🧐🧵
United were set up in a 4-2-3-1, up against Atlético’s 5-3-2 defensive block. The hosts built around Atlético’s front two and progressed down the flanks. A strong spell in the first half came as a result of Ronaldo dropping out to combine between a full-back and winger... 🧐🧵
When Ronaldo drifted out to the left, left-back Alex Telles was more aggressive with his positioning. He overlapped to support Jadon Sancho, who made direct runs in behind, especially after moving into the inside channel... 🧐🧵